Stud by Cheryl Brooks

scowl. Delivering the order to a trio of elderly ladies out to enjoy the day together, Lucy wished she was one of them with all her heart. They didn’t have fathers who berated and belittled them. Someday she would be every bit as free. That day couldn’t come soon enough.
    Lucy avoided any painful glances in Tarq’s direction on her return to the kitchen. Better to begin their separation now and not give her father any more fuel for his suspicions. Tarq obviously knew how to leave women behind. He’d done it hundreds of times. If only moving on hadn’t been so new to Lucy.
    Jublansk looked up from her kneading as Lucy passed but didn’t comment as she went out the rear door, shutting it behind her. With her back against the wall, Lucy bent over with her hands braced on her knees as the pain hit her again. Her chest constricted with the effort to control her emotions, but they spilled out anyway. Muscles knotted on the back of her neck and her breath came in short gasps. She did her best to focus on the new life ahead of her, but for a little while, she had to mourn the one she was leaving behind. The one that included Tarq.
    Natasha would be delighted to see her. Lucy had no doubt of that. She would be free at last. Once she was gone from here, her father couldn’t make her return. He would have no means to coerce or bully her. If, indeed, he ever found her.
    These thoughts strengthened her resolve and straightened her spine. Wiping her tears with a corner of her apron, she walked back inside.
    “You all right?” Jublansk asked.
    Lucy nodded. “Yeah, just needed some… air.”
    Jublansk obviously didn’t believe her. “Uh-huh. Your father getting on your nerves?”
    “Yeah.” It was, after all, the perfect excuse. “So what else is new?”
    “Not much—unless there’s something you’d like to tell me.”
    Lucy would have welcomed the opportunity to unburden herself to Jublansk, but the less she knew, the better. As far as anyone knew, Lucy had never heard from Natasha once she had left Reltan. Knowing that her overbearing father would do his best to prevent her from even going on a brief visit, Lucy had kept that to herself. Unfortunately, her dissatisfaction was well known to Jublansk, who was the closest thing to a friend Lucy had left. In fact, she was more like a mother.
    “No, nothing new. But thanks for asking—and for being here.” Lucy felt more tears attempting to flow. She hadn’t realized just how hard it would be to leave the stout Twilanan behind.
    “I’ll always be here. When you need me, you know where to find me.”
    Lucy nodded her reply, wondering if Jublansk knew more than she let on. Jublansk was very shrewd and could see though most lies. Fortunately, Lucy hadn’t been forced into telling an outright lie—yet.
    Gathering up salads and bread for a rough-looking group of Terran men from Madric, Lucy headed out.
    The first thing she noticed was Tarq’s empty table. Doing her best to ignore the ache it caused her, she went on to serve the salads without comment. Unfortunately, her customers weren’t as considerate.
    “I’m glad that filthy Zetithian is gone,” one of them said. “Couldn’t stand the smell.”
    Lucy frowned. “He doesn’t smell bad.” But you do.
    “He ought to. The fuckin’ man-whore. Sonofabitch has had his dick in more pussy than a studhorse.”
    Lucy was at a loss for words—and it wasn’t only because of the man’s nasty mouth. Should she defend Tarq and risk drawing attention to her feelings toward him? Or ignore the asshole? “I wouldn’t know anything about that.”
    “We saw you talking to him,” another man said. His hair was thinning, and unkempt stubble darkened his face. “Your father is right. You need to stay away from his kind. They’re dangerous.”
    And you’re ugly. Lucy’s eyes began to twitch as she fought the urge to roll them at the man. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
    Lucy carried her empty tray over to clear Tarq’s